As the construction phase for the Rt. 531 Terminus Project nears, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) officials have planned a public hearing on the preferred design alternative/proposed highway safety improvements for Thursday, February 5, at the Spencerport High School.
Project improvements include the current terminus of Rt. 531 at Rt. 36 and along Rt. 31 (Brockport-Spencerport Road) west to Salmon Creek Road in the towns of Ogden and Sweden.
Lori Maher of the NYSDOT says the preferred design alternative is a conventional, four-legged, at-grade, signalized intersection at Rt. 531 and Rt. 36.
The Rt. 531 to Rt. 31 transition would be just south of existing Rt. 31, along the existing eastbound on-ramp. Rt. 531 would connect directly to Rt. 31 and would transition from a four-lane expressway to a two-lane rural arterial west of Rt. 36.
Maher says the preferred design alternative was shaped by those who participated in the public involvement process, which took place over the past few years.
“Many citizens submitted comments relative to the conditions on Rt. 31 and the concern for a safe transition from an expressway-type facility to a standard two-lane highway approaching Sweden,” she says. “The existing ‘jog’ from Rt. 531 to Washington St. to Rt. 31 has its drawbacks from an operational and safety standpoint.”
In response to concerns from citizens, Maher says the NYSDOT extended the project limits to the west and spent a lot of time developing treatments to improve Rt. 31 from Rt. 36 west to Salmon Creek Road.
“Those treatments are intended to calm traffic and create an easy transition back to the posted speed limit on Rt. 31,” Maher says. “For example, the gentle way Rt. 531 will be tied into Rt. 31, the width, the center median up to Gallup Road, establishing the stretch of right-of-way without access, and the two-way center turn lane from Gallup Road to Salmon Creek Road and other features will create a comfortable driving experience at the posted speed limit.”
The project includes the widening of Rt. 31 with the addition of a center median to separate eastbound and westbound travel lanes where the “new” Rt. 531 lanes tie into Rt. 31 all the way to just east of Gallup Road.
Former Rt. 31 would be transformed to a cul-de-sac (approx. 2,000 ft. west of Rt. 36), allowing for access to residential homes located on the north side of Rt. 31. A continuous two-way left turn lane between Gallup Road west towards Salmon Creek Road would be provided to ease travel at intersections, DOT officials say.
Residents have frequently expressed the desire to extend Rt. 531 all the way to Redman Road, but Maher explains that in 2009, the DOT officially concluded the study to consider extending the Rt. 531 expressway any farther to the west.
“We understand that some citizens disagree,” she says, “but the primary reasons were the poor benefit/cost value, the environmental impacts, and the lack of desire to build more transportation infrastructure.
“The transportation benefit to improve safety by reducing travel times, improving mobility, maintaining economic vitality in an area with a flat growth rate, was minimal against the costs, the impacts, and other infrastructure priorities in the state,” Maher continues.
“But without concluding the Rt. 531 Extension Study, smaller location, specific projects like this one underway now, would not advance. Even though it was decided not to pursue a full extension, there was a need to address the current terminus and improve Rt. 31,” she adds.
The February 5 public hearing at Spencerport High School begins at 5 p.m. with an informal meeting in an open house format in the cafeteria. Project displays will be staffed by the project team. The formal public hearing begins in the auditorium at 7 p.m.A copy of the Draft Design Report is available for public viewing at the Ogden Town Hall, the Sweden Town Hall, or the DOT Regional Office, located at 1530 Jefferson Road in Henrietta. Comments received by February 27, will be made part of the official project record and evaluated prior to finalizing the design alternative.
Construction of the $15 million Route 531 Terminus Project is expected to go out to bid to a contractor in the fall of 2016.
